


Behind the Mask

by Emi_The_Ninja



Series: Little Ones (AKA Smaller Then Optimus) [4]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Generation One
Genre: And several others - Freeform, Gen, If anything the Op's tacks off like 500 years of Prime's lifespan, bee is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:21:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27842893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emi_The_Ninja/pseuds/Emi_The_Ninja
Summary: A Spec Op's mission goes south and Optimus lead the extraction himself.By going on his own.---||Guess which Bot nearly has a spark attack (Yep, all of them)||
Relationships: Jazz/Prowl
Series: Little Ones (AKA Smaller Then Optimus) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964920
Comments: 7
Kudos: 15





	Behind the Mask

**Author's Note:**

> *Bee can speak. This time I didn't deny him his voicebox.

Jazz.

Mirage.

Bumblebee.

His poor Autobots.

Lifting Jazz from the floor of the interrogation cell he looked over his shoulder where a mostly unharmed Bee and a slightly damaged Mirage stood. As Jazz was both Third-In-Command of the Autobots and Head of Special Operations, he was the worst of the three as the Decepticons tried to pry information from him. Optimus carried him out of the cell and found that the other two had dealt with the guards and led them to a dead end, briefly letting go of Jazz to plant a small, circular box on the wall that lit up, folded out and extended to a glowing ring that revealed the outside world.

Quickly getting out and grabbing the device again Optimus led them to a long rock formation and instructed Bee to tap on the smaller stone, revealing the trailer. Jazz had to be placed on the soft padded floor from the open side of the trailer and after a fully stocked Medical Kit was passed to Bumblebee, Optimus hid the trailer again and got his blaster from his subspace, walking to the edge of the forest and fired at the comms satellite, a tank and a stack of Energon, effectively blowing the place to scrap. It destroyed the base to rubble but it wouldn't take the sparks of the Cons stationed there.

Gently knocking on the side of his trailer to let his bots know he was back he transformed and connected, giving careful tugs before actually rolling towards the overgrown road and then onto the paved road. He let his field stretch to surround the inside of his trailer to calm his bots and feels the fields of all three latch on and tangle together.

He could feel Jazz's hand gently stroking the floor of the trailer and Optimus' field wrapped around them like a blanket and a soft rumble of his engine. _::Rest. It'll be a long drive. Bumblebee, there are three crates there with Energon. I'm fine for the moment. I will refuel when we are through half way through Idaho.::_

_::Where are we Optimus?::_

_::Close to the Canadian border, we just entered the State of Montana. At most it will take me 16 to 18 Earth hours to get you all back to the Ark. To your bonded ones.::_

Mirage cringed then, knowing Optimus was aware he had done it. _::How bad was it? Us blocking our bonds like that?::_

_::I was with Prowl when Jazz's end got blocked. At first I thought it was his condition but then reports about Bluestreak, Hound, Cliffjumper and Trailbreaker came in saying that they had either screamed right out before collapsing or froze up and collapsed with no word of warning. Ratchet learned it was the bonds when Bluestreak cried out for you Jazz, to not leave him, pleading for the bond not to sever between you.::_

Jazz smiled faintly. After the attack of Praxus he had been a constant figure in Blue's life until Prowl quietly asked to bond with him. Jazz had laughed warmly and asked if Blue was part of that bond, to ease his night terrors and heal him. Optimus had performed the bonding ceremony himself with Ratchet, Ironhide, Elita-One and Ultra Magnus as witnesses.

_::Mind as well have the Berth rest at our quarters so Blue won't get kicked out by Ratchet.::_

_::That would be a wise choice Old Friend.::_

Optimus could feel a faint jab after those last two words had been spoken and smiled faintly. Bee had mentioned that the 'Old Friend' remark sort of lit a warm flame within them all, to know they were so close to the Prime and not distant like all previous had been.

**000**

The sun lowered over the horizon as Optimus stopped on a parking lot with some picnic benches and map board. His Energon levels were good but just to not cause his bots any more worry he transformer and hid, even though there were trees blocking most of the lot. Bee passed him a cube when the side of the trailer opened and then reached his arms up to his Sire-figure, chirping in joy when he got picked up and cradled to the warm chest. 

Opening their chests just a little to let thin tendrils twine together and hold tighter did the freezing fear leave the Autobot Leader.

"Merciful way to kill me would have been to just shoot me." He joked as he drank the Energon and feel a gentle slap to the back of his helm, knowing it was Jazz. "Yer a dead bot walkin' anyway! Yer here wit' no back op and-"

"Let me worry about their wrath later. Megatron must have been informed by now about your escape."

"And if he showed his 'oh so pretty mug'?" Mirage chuckled.

"He'll look prettier after I blast him in the face."

That remark in that deadpanned tone was so unexpected it that the three rolling in laughter and Jazz almost opened up his injuries again. Bee hopped back in to see what he had to seal up again and glared at their Prime. "There are 5 wrenches here Optimus. Don't make me clock you with one if you make Jazz tear my flimsy work."

"No wonder Ratchet favors you over anyone." 

**000**

Optimus stopped in Washington to rest and have another cube, feeling his bots recharge in his trailer the Prime took a moment to check his inbox, finding quite a few from his Commanding Staff and some from Elita and Magnus. They must have been informed that Optimus had gone missing.

_//I'm safe. So are Jazz and his team. Don't inform the Ark I have them. I rather they see it for themselves. -OP//_

_//Primus Orion were you trying to offline me? I nearly dropped where I stood! 4M years already took its fragging toll on me!! -UM//_

_//I will contact you later Dion. Let your group and Elita's know I'm still scrapping Cons. -OP//_

_//You better be. Please be safer, your medical staff says I won't last another bond fade like the previous one. -_ _UM//_

Optimus sighed softly and felt Bee shuffle closer to the wall of the trailer facing the cab side and stretched his field, feeling Bee's brush and latch onto his.

He wondered what it would have been like if he had sent Magnus in his place with the Ark crew, only to learn of their disappearance and know nothing for millions of years. Bee's field jabbed on his again.

:: _You're here, you came for us. We're okay and safe with you, Cybertron will be livable again someday. If not, we could find a planet that is very similar to Earth. With no humans that take hours upon hours of meetings with.::_

_::We'll have to recycle the Ark and build a new ship then. One that I won't fly into another mountain.::_

Bee cackled over their bond and Optimus nudged him back to recharge, feeling better and prepared to slip in recharge himself. But Bee's suggestion had him thinking, many Autobots found Earth fascinating and beautiful. 

The Humans were the only complaint. The world leaders (or the Mayor of Portland) tended to take so much of Optimus' time the Autobots rarely saw him save for Deception attacks, Command staff meeting or public meetings. It was tearing them to see their Prime so drained and to not find time to even relax. Or see Bee in his lap going over historical data pads.

He felt Jazz caress the floor again and powered down before the Saboteur's field dipped down in sadness. 

**000**

It was late in the night when Optimus drove into the Ark and found Ironhide getting up from a crate and crossed his arms. "Is Ratchet still up?"

"Why. That eager to meet his wrench?"

"No. But I know that wrench will be used to restore Jazz and Mirage. Bumblebee merely need an appointment with Sunstreaker and Tracks."

Ironhide's face slowly turned from angry to disbelief before rushing to the back of the trailer as Optimus transformed and smiled as Bee shot out like missile and knocked Ironhide on his back. Jazz woke up as Optimus lifted him and huffed.

"Neve' been so glad ta see dat ugly orange." He felt that mighty chassis vibrate in a soft chuckle and thought his cracked visor he saw them enter the med bay and a shriek that woke all the bots in there.

"JAZZ!!!" Blue was out of the berth running over and hugged the arm that Jazz held out. "Could'v' givn' Prime a nano-klick ta put me on a berth." Optimus set him on one and Blue hugged his Sire tightly. The med doors opened again revealing Ironhide helping Mirage over to another empty berth and helped him into it fully.

"Bee went ta get Ratchet an--"

_"WHAT DID THOSE FRAGGING CONS DO TO YOU BEE!!"_

"-nnd da whole Ark knows yer home again." Ironhide saw Hound rush in and threw his arms around Mirage, a blur of Black and white zoomed past and almost knocked Blue and Jazz from the berth and onto the floor had Optimus not been fast enough to catch him. "Let Ratchet clobber him together before you strangle him."

Ratchet rushed in and almost tripped on his face. "And I thought Bee looked awful!!"

Optimus sighed as he let go of Prowl. "I'm merely tired Ratchet. Please focus your attention on Jazz, Mirage isn't as heavily damaged that First Aid shouldn't have much trouble." Ratchet went over to Jazz and had a look over, connecting him to a few machines and did some scans.

"It looks like Bee did a good patch job. I only need to do a little work on you Jazz."

"Sounds good Ratch. Think Blue can stay here?"

"He has to stay here, he needs your spark to heal. Prowl's isn't enough."

Oh yeah.

Optimus stood from leaning on the wall. "I will be in my rooms should you require my helm on the end of one of your wrenches Ratchet."

**000**

It took almost a week for it to really sink in to the bots that the trio was with them again. Jazz was still on medical leave and had spent that time with Blue and Prowl, mending the bonds between the three.

Mirage hadn't been called a traitor for a while and by now everyone had caught on the limp he now had so Ratchet decided that he would detach the leg to do a complete check up with Wheeljack and Perceptor, that would leave the three with the leg and Mirage awake in his quarters with his bond mates.

Bee got his paint fixed by Sunstreaker and Track and climbed into Optimus' lap, waving at Magnus on the screen and set to hold Optimus' servo between his own tiny ones. During the call he broke Magnus by flattening his right hand into Optimus' own right (he was sitting sideways and being cradled in one arm) and Magnus stuttered through a soft chuckle and Optimus smiled under the mask, gently moving his right to tap Bee on the nasal plate and get a beaming grin aimed at him.

"We'll speak more later Ultra Magnus. Let everyone know I am proud of their hard work and hope you all remain safe."

_::Of course Prime. Bee, you and the rest of the Ark keep him safe alright?::_

"From the Cons, his own workaholicness, or us?"

_::Numbers 1 and 2, and from the sounds of it- perhaps 3.::_

Bee gave a salute and the screen fizzed out so Bee pressed closer to the warm chassis. "Ratchet detached Mirage's leg to work on it. Mirage himself is in his rooms with Hound, I saw that Trail and Cliff had patrol. Jazz is trapped under two Praxians."

"And you are trapped here." Optimus rumbled and wrapped his other arm around the scout, leaning back in his chair. "It's been quiet..."

"Eh, the cons will show up soon enough. Everyone just hopes you will let us lose."

"The cons are yours. Megatron has an appointment with my blaster up his aft."

Both looked over at the door to find some of the bot that had walked past now rolling on the floor cackling and Optimus grins under the mask. "After I've dumped pink paint and some feathers on him of course." And that sucked all air out of Sideswipe and Blaster begged for mercy, there was nothing coming out of Red Alert and Inferno anymore but they were moving.

Bee grinned up at his Sire-figure and cuddled closer.

The mask held a lot of sides the Prime rarely showed.

**Author's Note:**

> #LetOptimusSwear!! x'D  
> \---
> 
> When Optimus said they were near a Canadian border I pull up Maps to see how many hours he would have to drive and through which states.  
> \---  
> FROM WIKIA
> 
> \- "Mount St. Hilary seems clearly inspired by the real-world eruption of Washington's Mount St. Helens just a few years earlier and in the original treatment, it was going to be St. Helens the Ark was in.
> 
> \- The volcano is referred to as "Mount St. Helens" in the G1 Super-Size Coloring Activity Book.
> 
> \- In the guidebook Beast Wars Universe, the volcano is referred as "Mount St. Helens".  
> 000
> 
> So from point A to the Ark it was 16 Hours and 12 Mins through Montana, Idaho, Washington and Oregon. 
> 
> American readers may correct this silly little Bean Writer if she is incorrect.


End file.
